28th February to 9th March 2019 Carnival in Águilas

Águilas is the largest Carnival in the Murcia Region

Carnaval de Águilas

Águilas is justifiably the most famous Carnival in the Region of Murcia, as well as the largest, renowned for its flamboyant costumes, perfectly synchronised dance groups, humorous presentation, glamour and acres of feathers and glitz.

The parades are the biggest, and longest, three of them focusing on the Águilas carnival peñas themselves and one in which invited peñas from other parts of the region and across Spain take part.

The scale of the carnival (Carnaval in Spanish) is such that the festivities have been awarded the official status of "Fiestas of International Tourism Interest" .

There are parades throughout the main week, which in 2019 begins at the end of February and continues in March, with a number of activities leading up to the last few days of partying.

Águilas is always busy and buzzing for Carnival week, with all accommodation packed solid, so if you would like to reserve a hotel, camping site or book seats for a large group for one of the main parades, then it’s advisable to do so as far in advance as possible.Click here for accommodation information: Águilas accommodation options

The main processions in Águilas during 2019 are on Sunday 3rd March 2019, Tuesday 5th March, Saturday 9th March and the parade of external peñas is on Friday 8th March

Because the parades are so long, and we´re talking 2-4 hours long, seats are sold in the specially constructed stands which line the streets for the main parade. Although these are sold in advance by the peñas, there are generally plenty of seats still available and tickets can be purchased on the night, although if you have a health issue and need to sit, it´s worth making sure of seats in advance or bringing your own.

There are plenty of places to stand and watch the parade go by, particularly near the start point, and after the parade turns the corner off the Avenida Juan Carlos into Rey Carlos III and carnival veterans bring a chair, a blanket for their knees and a hot flask, although there are plenty of cafes open behind the parade route to purchase a warming cup of coffee and a cognac should the night air prove a little nippy.However, buying a seat in the stands helps to support this carnival, which costs an absolute fortune to produce.

As well as the carnival parades there are a number of other activities, with the famous battle between Don Carnal and Doña Cuaresma, the Batalla de Cascarones, the battle of the eggs, the paper costume competition, drag queen and body painting competitions, descent of the Mussona from the castle and la cuerva, the famous drink of Águilas carnival.

Don Carnal is much in evidence at this carnival, with the famous battle of the eggshells taking place, in which supporters of both sides throw confetti filled eggshells, Cascarones, at each other.

For months leading up to the carnival, eggs are blown rather than broken, the shells carefully dried and stored until a few days before the festivities begin, when the older family members and children fill them with confetti, sealing the ends with tissue paper, stuck down using a mixture of flour and water.

Although regularly broken onto the heads of passers-by during the fiestas, thousands of them are broken during the Batalla de Cascarones between Don Carnal and Dona Cuaresma.

Buying Tickets for Águilas Carnaval

All parades follow an itinerary of Avenida Juan Carlos I, Rey Carlos III and the port.

Seats may be purchased in advance or on the day from the Carnival Peña and help to pay for the huge cost of putting on the carnival. Although you don’t have to buy a seat, it is a very long procession and it´s highly recommended that you do. There are plenty of places to sit and watch the procession. Tickets are on sale in Calle Rey Carlos III ( next to the tobacconist) between 5 and 8pm in the evening, Monday-Saturday or on the day of the parades.The seats sold are in Avenida Juan Carlos 1.

Tickets in the stands are 25 euros for all 4 days. Individual seats for just one day are 10 euros. Chairs at street level are 5 euros.

On the day of the parades seats are sold in Calle Rey Carlos III next to Cuplé, or in Avenida Juan Carlos I alongside the Banco Sabadell Cam

If you are a group and need a larger number of seats, contact the federation of peñas, Sr Ángel on 629 494 669. ( Spanish speaking only.)

To contact the tourist office if you need help, accommodation or for further info; call 968 49 32 85

Parking advice.

The main drive in to central Águilas is sealed off by police. A good parking spot is along the edge of the rambla ( the waterway): turn right driving down into Águilas just before the road is blocked off. From here it’s a 5 minute walk to the main parade route.

Carnival Schedule 2019:

Saturday 23rd February

9pm Grand Gala night for the peñas, transfer of powers between the main characters of the carnival from 2018 to 2019.

XVII Carnival sailing regatta at the Águilas sailing club, the Club Náutico de Águilas

12:00. Festival of musical bands, free entry, with the participation of several local bands in the Auditorio Infanta Elena:XI Festival Nacional de Bandas de Música “Concierto Extraordinario de Carnaval”.

Location: Auditorio y Palacio de Congresos “Infanta Doña Elena”.

21.00 Open competition for the best paper costumes and body make-up. This is quite extraordinary, these paper costumes are magnificent, and it’s really difficult to believe they’re made of paper. Tickets are sold by the Federation of Carnival Peñas. The costumes will parade in the main processions.

XIX Concurso de Trajes de Papel y Maquillaje Corporal.

Location: Auditorio y Palacio de Congresos “Infanta Doña Elena”

Tuesday 26th February

20:00 The 26th annual literary competition reveals its winners and official presentation of the printed book accompanying this year's festivities takes palce in the Casa de Cultura Francisco Rabal.

Wednesday 27th February

19:00 Children's drawing and writing competition, run by the local schools. The presentation of prizes to the winners takes place in the Casa de la Cultura Francisco Rabal.

Thursday 28th February

22.30 : XXI Suelta de la Mussona.

The Mussona, a hissing, spitting beast wearing a costume created from natural materials, is released from the Explanada of the Castle along with its handler, making its way down to the Plaza de Espana where the official act to begin the carnival begins.

The Mussona is a figure which represents the dual nature of man, as both something wild, the beast within and man seen from outside, a way of expressing the battle between order and chaos, which is what carnival is essentially about.

The Mussona arrives in the Plaza de Espana at around 23.45 and there are fireworks at midnight.

Friday 1st March

09:30 Local schoolchildren hold their own mini parades in local schools

20:15 In the Plaza de España. The traditional ceremony to weigh the main figures in the carnival, and donate their weight in products to local good causes.

20:00 In the headquarters of the Federation of Peñas the competition begins to find the best Cuerva in Águilas, Cuerva being a fruity punch drink with a hefty alcohol content.

20:00 The children’s Mussona leaves the Plaza Gutiérrez Mellado, heading for the Plaza de España

From 21.30 in the Plaza de Espana the formal welcome speeches for the children’s carnival take place, followed by the children’s battle of the eggshells in which supporters of Don Carnal and Dona Cuaresma pelt each other with confetti filled Cascarones. (eggs which have been blown out and filled with confetti). This is a noisy, fun event.

Saturday 2nd March

18:00 Prize-giving ceremony for the annual carnival regatta at the nautical club of Águilas

22:00 Plaza de Espana. Opening speeches and official adult carnival begins with speeches by the mayor and guest celebrity, followed by battle of confetti eggs between adult supporters of Don Carnal and Dona Cuaresma. Another noisy, fun event in which supporters of both camps pelt each other with confetti-filled eggs.

18:00 XXIV Concurso Nacional de Comparsas Foráneas, Competition of external comparsas, which comprises all the peñas from other areas invited to take part in the carnival. Some of these are fabulous and come from right across Spain. This parade only includes the peñas from outside of Águilas, not the Águilas peñas themselves, but is still a spectacular parade.

18:00 : Third and last parade of carriages and floats with all of the Águilas peñas participating.

Location: Avenida Juan Carlos I y Calle Rey Carlos III.

Following the parade, Don Carnal is seized whilst in the Plaza de Espana, and taken down to the La Colonia beach where he is executed in grand style on the bonfire around midnight, (an effigy is burnt representing Don Carnal, followed by an enormous carnival fireworks display to end the celebrations.)

After this, the peñas return to the Plaza de España where prizes are awarded for the parades.

Saturday 16th March

21:00 The XVI National Drag Queen competition in the Auditorio Infanta Elena

The date has yet to be determined for the fourth national Chirigotas competition in the Auditorio Infanta Elena. This attracts a number of Chirigotas, witty groups who perform using song and dance. The songs are usually targeting local or national issues, or public figures and are witty, socially relevant and irreverent in tone, aiming to entertain.

More information about Águilas including beaches, what to see, what's on and tourist information can be found on ÁGUILAS TODAY